OF PRINCIPALITIES AND POWERS - High School Civics: Second Quiz

For more than thirty years now, citizens of this country have been the target audience of an enormous sales effort, promoting the idea that a free market economy is the essential foundation for a free democracy. By capitalizing on the use of the word “free” in both terms, free marketers imply that any regulation is undemocratic. The reality is quite different: predatory capitalism is subverting democracy.

This column is a lightly-modified version of one that appeared back in March of 2006. The Bush administration was the focus of that column. It’s only fair to apply the same standards now to the Obama years. Readers are encouraged to take the quiz themselves. I’d be delighted to know your scores, if you would like to self-report. And I’d welcome your suggestions for additional questions that might be used in a third version of the quiz. - Tony Russell

I was sitting in the coffee shop, working on my second cup of starter fluid, when Rog stormed in, red-faced, with steam pouring out of his ears.

“Have you seen this?” he demanded, throwing some sheets of paper down on the table.

“Have a seat, Rog,” I said. “Ask Angie for a couple of ice cubes to cool you down.”

“This is no laughing matter, Ace,” he fumed. “Look at this thing. It’s a disgrace!”
“What is it, Rog?” I asked.

“It’s another one of those quizzes in my boy’s high school civics class,” he said. “The thing is nothing more than a piece of anti-American propaganda! Every question on there is a deliberate slap at the administration and Congress! It’s brainwashing, is what it is! It’s a blatant attempt to portray the political leadership of this country as undemocratic, and I won’t stand for it!”

“My gosh, Rog,” I said. “Let me have a look at the thing. Is it really that bad?”

“You’re darned tootin’ it is,” he bellowed. “Take a look for yourself.”

QUIZ # 2: The Differences Between Democratic and Totalitarian Governments

QUIZ # 2: The Differences Between Democratic and Totalitarian Governments
With the opening chapter of our textbook, we discussed the differences between democratic governments and totalitarian governments. The quiz below contains ten pairs of statements. Write “democratic” in the blank space for the statement in each pair which accurately describes a democratic government, and “totalitarian” in the blank space for the statement in each pair which accurately describes a totalitarian government.

1.A. Under a _____________________ government, the free flow of information is essential so people can make informed decisions. Every effort is made to see that the public receives the most complete and most accurate information possible.

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